2013 Raptor Closures Serpent Point and the adjacent walls within one-half mile are closed to public use from March 15 through July 15. This includes the landscape portions above the walls extending 50 feet from the rim edge. This pertains to the following areas:

Description

Me and Clay Meier climbed this peak this fall, and it was quite an adventure. It involves lots of route-finding through chossy and usually mossy steps and 4th class terrain. For the first pitch, raft from Curecanti Creek inlet (there is a john there), to the east side of the peak and park your raft up a few feet on the shore, the water fluctuates so make sure to anchor it in. From here, scramble up and right to a prominent nose facing northeast. You will be about 60 - 80 feet off the water at this point. Tope up here.

Pitch 1 - 2: climb chossy terrain up the nose and to the right a bit, eventually hitting many ledges and 4th class terrain. Follow this terrain up and slightly right following path of least resistance and hitting many ledges and steps. Climb this until you hit a blocky, northeast-facing pitch on an arete type feature.

Pitch 3: climb this blocky arete (5.6) passing many bushes and loose blocks with great exposure to the left. Find any ledge to belay on, or simulclimb to a false summit/spire.

Pitch 4: we unroped for this one: traverse the ridge to the right, passing through an exposed notch, through some trees, up a step into a cave type thing about 160 feet below the summit.

Pitch 5: climb out of the alcove/cave (tricky 5.7+), and follow easier terrain aiming for an obvious crack on the left of a little arete. Climb the crack straight up for 25 feet (.8+, 9-), and traverse right in hand crack to right-facing aspect of arete, from here follow chimney/gully to summit. Quality pitch.

Although this climb is not on quality rock until the last pitch, I still gave it a two star rating for the adventure, history and amazing summit. Definitely worth doing.

Location

Looking from Pioneer Point, it takes mostly the left skyline/face.

Getting there: raft from Curecanti Creek inlet - a nice trail goes down from Pioneer Point. Park raft on left, east side of peak and scramble to start.

Descent: from the summit, walk down west about 50 feet and find two shiny bolts with rings on a west-facing rock on south side of summit. 2 or 3 double rope raps will get you to a notch, scramble either way to get where you need. Careful on the last rap - we got our ropes stuck.

Protection

SR, long slings to sling trees, bolts for rappel. There might be some fixed pro along the way, can't remember.

This is a very fun route. It is definitely adventure climbing (moss mountaineering). It makes for an excellent mixed climb in the winter. The approach is also easier if you do it in the winter because you can walk across the ice (make sure that it has been cold for A WHILE before you try to cross the ice. Walking across the ice when it was a few inches thick and covered in slush is one of the scarier approaches that I have done, ever.) Most of the climbing is 4th class with short 5th class steps. The last pitch is the only pitch that is 5th class for the entire pitch. ENJOY!